| Common Name | Barn Owl |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tyto Alba |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 08/16/2016 |
| Media |  |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Morgan Quimby |
| Mailing Address | 12 Rabbit Run Underhill, Vermont 05489 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 01/15/2018 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 44 38'18" N |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 72 55'51" W |
| Place Name | VT Route 104 |
| Township | Jeffersonville |
| County | Franklin |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 07:15 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | Two minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | Approximately 40 feet |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | Approximately 30 feet |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Chilly, rainy fall morning. Overcast and misting rain. |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Used a Canon Rebel t3i camera with a 55-250mm lens. Did not have binoculars with me at the time but luckily I had my camera and zoom lens! |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | Barn Owls are my favorite type of Owl, and favorite type of Bird of Prey, but I had never seen a wild one in person before! |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Since I was just driving along when I spotted the owl, I wasnt there observing other species or the surrounding area very closely. Since it was early and a cold drizzly morning, I didn't hear much or see much other bird activity other than the Barn Owl. The tree is located right next to the road and behind the tree are corn fields and woods behind that. After watching the owl for a couple minutes, he/she silently took off over the corn field and towards the woods. |
| Behaviors Observed | Watched me for several minutes, and did not seem stressed and scared of my presence. After a few minutes he/she slowly and silently took off from the branch and glided over the corn field so gracefully. Seemed very healthy, albeit a little wet from the rain! |
| Description of Vocalizations | Unfortunately I did not hear any vocalizations. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | As I said above, I observed a Barn Owl in a tree next to the road. He seemed a bit hunkered down due to the rain and chilly morning, but was very calm and not nervous in my presence. Since I was on my way to a friends house, I didn't have my field journal with me so I do not have any real notes. I was more focused on getting a couple shots of him/her since I am a photographer and knew this was a special encounter. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Size of a Barn Owl, I would say this one was about thirteen inches tall if I had to make a rough guess. |
| Head | Distinct heart shaped dish face of Barn Owl. Not sure if it was the time of day or that is was raining, but he seemed darker in color than some Barn Owls I've seen in pictures, videos, zoos, rehabilitation centers, etc. |
| Feet & Bill | Normal light tan hooked beak, and long skinny tan legs. |
| Upper Back | Dark browns and light browns |
| Lower Back & Rump | Dark browns and light browns |
| Wings | Distinct Barn Owl colorations, perhaps a bit on the dark side. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Distinct Barn Owl colorations, perhaps a bit on the dark side. |
| Tail | Distinct Barn Owl colorations, perhaps a bit on the dark side. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | I did not have to rule out any other species as I was 100% this was a Barn Owl, due to where I was located and the colorations and structure of the bird and its overall appearance and build. |
| Other Notes & Comments | No |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
Vermont Atlas of Life Partners
